Portable armrest device



June 16, 1953 t H, GLAUBER 2,642,117

PORTABLE ARMREST DEVICE n Filed Nov. 50, 1950 INVENTOR. /vE/v/QY. 6040/956,

TTOIFNEY such arm rests:

Patented June 16, 1953 PORTABLE ARMEE ST DEVICE YApplication Novemberf, 1950, Serial No. 198,3833

7. Claims.

more particularly to a portablezform. offdevice and'Y one which may be folded for storage purposes;

Armi restdevices forvvarious purposesv havabeen used-to a.-.considerableextentsome casesr they havefbeen used' inconnection with toilets sov that ai-,persen thereon may'supporthi'mself by meansof Usually such devices Were: se'- curedf tof or made part of the toilet bowl or's'eat and;r some: of themf, wereA rather complicated in construction.V They werel costly and inconvenient to use and ltheyoften could not be readily removed from thel toilet.A

Iny another type of device used in the prior art, the arm rests-were not; attached to ther toilet itselfA buta pair of independent standards Were provided which were secured to the floor adjacentrto the toilet. Thisiwas agreat. inconvenience, particularly when it was desired to clean the floor or the toilet, orr Whenpersons of diiierent sizes attempted, to. use. the device.v This device hada considvw erable number of parts and while a portion. thereofhad ak limited degree of movement, itl was sol designed as to make it uncomfortable: for theuser.

The present` invention is intended and adapted to. overcome the difficultiesand disadvantages inherent in devices of the type described, it being among the objects of thev present-'invention to provide an arm rest device which is simple in construction, which is of light Weight and portable and which may-be. easily folded intov ay small volume.`

Itis-,also among the. objects of thepresentine ventiontoprovide a .device which is not attached tothe toilet or its seat, which is movable-.relative thereto and which maybe readily adjusted into al position which is comfortablefor the. user.

Itis further among the objects. of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which there is provided a hinge-like arrangement.. which is positive in its actionand which enables the arm rest to be held rigidly in its. operative, positionv for use and which permits easy and quick iolding ofthe arm resty into. inoperative -position for storage.' purposes.

In. practicing the present invention there. is provided a pair of' side members, eachjofwhich has a pair of legs adapted' to resten the iioor,` and atthe: upper' end thereof a substantially horizontal member connecting the pair of legs into a unit. Two such side members are'provided, spaced a sufficient distanceapart to accommodate the body of the user. Tlieyare connected'v together in any one of a number of Ways so that when in operative position, the leg;'meI-nbcrs`` are held rigidly andv Qne: olrmoref latclr-.membersis provided-, usual-1 lyfhinged to one-offeachpairof legs and adapted to lock into or Withthe horizontally connecting member. yA p'ai-rot fiat armrests is secured. tothe-.top'of thespairs of legs. Whenit is desiredto. storethe devicathelatch or latohesare freed and' theslegmembers are: nested` together iny nearly parallel position..Y

In. the. accompanying. part hereof and in which likeV reference characters indicate likeV parts,y

Fig. 1Y is* a; perspective. view. of anarm restA de.- vicer made in accordancewith. the present invention.;-

Fig. 2.is.-.a.,fragmentary rearelevational. view of the, device, in the.. open. position-.-showing a pair oiY latches. holdingV the devicesin rigidcperative position;

Eig, 3 is. a rear elevationalv View of the device showingY it. in the process off being folded with the` latches unhooke'd from the horizontal member,

and

Fig, 4' is a transverse"cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, illustrati-ngthe manner A: second'identical. pair of legs. is provided madenesting member Il integral with` the. legs givesan.

inverted U-shapedappearance to. the pair of legs.

An arm resti isy mounted on. member 3 and xedthereto,Y and an arm rest ll is mounted on and fixed tomember Il. The two sets of; legs are spaced. apart. and. in .the operative. -position planes passing through them are verticali and parallel. Thehinged arrangement for joining the pairs of legs consistsA o f a tubularmember having a transverse member i2 and arms I3 and; l4, the element being tpl-shaped. AA pair of latches I5 and I6' arepivoted on their'lower ends to one of each ofV the' pairs; of legs. The free ends Ily and i 8 thereof are adapted'to hook over pins i9 and 20,

respectively, 'onmember I 2.`

With particular reference to Figyl there is f provided ametal holder 2l secured to the under .drawingy consti-tu-ti-ng` a'H in which Athe arm rest and legs are held in posiy side of arm rest 6 and having a portion 22 thereof bent into the arcof a circle, approximately equal to the arc of tube I3. The free end 23 of the holder is parallel to 2I and screws 24 pass through 23, I and I and into arm rest 6 to hold the arm rest in rigid relation to the pair of legs. A sufficient space is left within the loop formed by the holder between tube I' and cur-ved portion 22, to allow a swiveling action of the horizontal U-shaped member relative to the pair of legs. A

duplicate of the arrangement of Fig. 4 is provided f 'InV this position the user may adjust it after being seated so as to be arranged comfortably for the individual. The latches act as braces which in conjunction with the bent ends of the legs hold the device rmly without wobbling. When it is desired to store the device, latches I6 and I5 are removed from the pins as shown in Fig. 3 and legs I and I are moved in the direction of arrow 25. Then legs 'I and 'I' are moved in the direction of arrow 2B, whereby all of the legs and the horizontal member, together with the latches, are folded into a small narrow package which occupies very little space.

There are numerous advantages in anplicants construction in that it enables old and sick people to sit down on the toilet and to arise without the assistance of other persons. It is hygienic as the device does not touch the body or the toilet. The opening and folding of the device can be done easily by one person so that even a sick person can very easily manipulate it. It is sturdy and is so constructed as to safely bear the weight of all sizes of individuals and at the same time it is light in weight and may be readily moved. It is adapted for use in various places such as hospitals, homes for the aged, nursing and private homes.

Although the invention has beendescribed setting forth but a single specic embodiment thereof, various changes in the details of construction may be made Within the spirit of the invention. For instance, instead of a pair of latches, a single latch may be provided or any locking means suitable for the purpose may be substituted for the latch. Such latches may have variously shaped slots therein, such as L-, T- or keyhole-shapes, into which the pins fit so as to make it unnecessary to remove the latches when folding the device. The pairs of legs need not be made of double tubing but may be of single tubing or from flat strips or strips suitably shaped. The horizontal U-shaped member may be substituted by other constructions adapted to serve the prime purpose of foldability. For instance, the free ends of arms I3 and I4 may be fixed in position and portion I2 of said member may be made in the form of connected links so that the legs instead of folding in the manner shown in Fig. 3 are retained in their parallel planes and the folding is accomplished by the collapsing of two or more links, replacing element I2. It is preferred that the device be made of aluminum as being a light weight rustless material easily handled, but other suitable materials of construction may be used in place thereof. The arm rests 6 and II' are usually of wood but other suitable materials such as plastics -may be used and the manner 4 of connecting the parts may be changed by using mechanical equivalents thereof.

These and other changes in the details may be made without departing from the principles herein set forth and the invention is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: i Y.

l. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of legs rigidly connected to a substantially horizontal member rat the rear of said side members, said arms cooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs of legs may be folded together, and a latch extending between a leg and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said` floor. i

2. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of legs having feet at the lower ends thereof which are rigidlyY connected to a substantially horizontal member and adapted to rest on a floor, and an arm rest `on each of said horizontal members, the planes passing through said pairs of legs being substantially vertical and parallel to each other, a

transverse member having forwardly extending arms at the rear of said side members, said arms cooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs of legs,

tially vertical and parallel to each other, each pair of legs having a pair of tubes secured together along substantially their entire length, said tubes being spread apart at the lower end of said legs to form feet, a transverse member having forwardly extending arms at the rear of said side members, said arms cooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs of legs may be folded together, and

a latch extending between a leg and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said floor.

4. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of legs rigidly connected to a substantially horizontal member and adapted to rest on a floor, and an arm rest on each of said horizontal members, the planes passing through said pairs of legs being substantially vertical and parallel to each other, a transverse member having forwardly extending arms at the rear of said side members, said armsand said pairs of legs being commonly hinged on said arm rests to provide pivoted movement with respect thereto, the centralportion of said horizontal member being at the back of said device, and a latch extending between a leg and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said floor.

5. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of legsrigidf ly connectedto a substantially horizontal member and adapted to rest on a floor, and an arm rest on each of said horizontal members, they planes passing through said pairs of legs being substantially vertical and parallel to each other,

a transverse member having forwardly extend.

ing arms at the rear of said side members, said arms cooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs of legs may be folded together, and a latch extending between a leg and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said floor, a holder at theunder side of each arm rest, said horizontal member being secured to said holder and arm rest.

6. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair.

of side members each having a pair of legs rigid-` ly connected to a substantially horizontal member and adapted to rest on a floor, and an arm rest on each of said horizontal members, the planes passing through said .pairs of legs being substantially vertical and parallel tov each other, a transverse member having forwardly extending arms at the rear of said side members, said arms vcooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs ofY legs may be folded together, and a latch extending between a leg. and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said iioor, a

holder at theunder side of each arm rest, said o horizontal member being secured to said holder and arm rest, said holder having a loop, the ends of said horizontal memberbeing heldin said loop for rotation relative to said legs.

7. A portable arm rest device comprising a pair of side members each having a pair of legs rigidly connected to a substantially horizontal member and adapted to rest on a door, and an arm rest on each of said horizontal members, the planes passing through said pairs of legs being substantially vertical and parallel to each other, a transverse member having forwardly extending arms at the rear of said side members, said arms cooperating with said side members providing a hinge arrangement whereby said pairs of legs may be folded together, and a latch extending between a leg and said transverse member adapted to maintain the ends of said legs on said floor, a holder at the under side of each arm rest, said horizontal member being secured to said holder and arm rest, said holder having a loop, the ends of said horizontal member being held in said loop forrotation relative to said legs, said latch when yin locked position being diagonal with reference f to said legs and transverse member and constituting a'brace for holding said device rigid.

HENRY GLAUBER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 262,683 Moorman Aug. 15, 1882 580,395 Hall Apr. 13, 1897 1,132,939 Jaubard Mar. 23, 1915 1,281,763 Carre Oct. 15, 1918 1,519,566 Powers Dec. 16, 1924 1,727,969 Evans Sept. 10, 1929 2,205,978 Hoag June 25, 1940 2,459,601 Tirilli et al Jan. 18, 1949 2,562,616 Hudson July 31, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Feb. 12. 1914 

